


Proverbs 21:3

by spacewritermonkey



Category: Warrior Nun (TV)
Genre: F/F, Warrior Nun AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-21
Updated: 2020-11-29
Packaged: 2021-03-10 07:46:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,429
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27659699
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spacewritermonkey/pseuds/spacewritermonkey
Summary: Time and space. It's a curious and dangerous thing to try and wield and manipulate to your whim. But when faced with the idea that taking herself out of the equation meant Beatrice's survival, Ava took the risk with a wish. And thus, a new path. In another life, Ava never went on that vacation, never got into an accident, never orphaned.
Relationships: Sister Beatrice/Ava Silva
Comments: 13
Kudos: 121





	1. Chapter 1

Ava saw him strike her down right in front of her.

She saw her eyes shine at her with something she couldn’t identify right before their color turned dull…lifeless.

In the middle of her agonized scream, Ava’s thoughts turned just as wild as the light the halo in her back produced. She saw Adriel’s eyes turn from greedy and lusting after the sight she must have made, to something akin to fear when Ava finally let go of _everything_.

The halo hummed and vibrated with an energy she could feel bursting and struggling—as if daring her to go further, to let everything out. So, she did.

Nothing to lose when the only woman she had begun to care about was gone after all. The only one who seemed to truly care about her in return—and not just for the artifact she possessed—even in the short span of time they’ve spent together. Gone.

The light she wielded turned from bursting beam to pulsing waves, Ava’s screams turning eerily silent. Most still couldn’t look at her directly. Lilith, Mary, and Camila’s eyes struggled to keep their eyes on their Halo Bearer, but all they could see was the body of their fallen sister.

Even Adriel seemed to have trouble focusing.

Wraiths had dissipated, their hosts down on the floor, unmoving. Witnesses would have claimed they felt as if time had stopped—had there been witnesses able to see.

For Ava, time seemed immaterial as she stared at what remained of her friend. _She could have been more_ , a voice inside of her whispered. Yes. She could have been more. But all the should-haves and could-haves are as useless as the metal in her back with Beatrice gone.

_In this life or the next?_

Why not THIS life? Why not both?

The anger that swept within Ava was certain.

She should never have been chosen to play host to this halo. She didn’t deserve it. She didn’t deserve a second chance. Everyone might have been better off if Lilith received the halo as planned—Beatrice certainly would have been prime candidate.

_Do you not want this life?_

It was a voice Ava couldn’t identify. But it seemed…familiar. Her own? No. But it felt like someone or something she could honestly respond to, Ava thinks.

_I want a life where Beatrice is alive._

_But it’s too late now,_ the reply seemed to come from nowhere and everywhere.

_I don’t deserve the halo. I never should have been chosen. That is bullshit! All of these are pure bullshit!_

_What do you want then?_

The question should have stumped Ava, but all she had were answers coming from a place in her heart where she felt tired and burdened.

_I want a life where I don’t have to bear this halo. I want a life where I don’t receive what I don’t deserve. I want Beatrice and the others alive and safe. I want to have nothing to do with this life, this halo, with being God’s champion when I know I’m not… They would be better off without the likes of me ever having crossed paths with them._

Ava finally seemed able to pull her gaze away from the woman who meant so much to her. She looked up and saw Adriel had begun to move.

_Is it your wish to stop existing?_

The question drew Ava short, just as Adriel began to pick up his pace. In the space of a millisecond where Ava expected relief in the knowledge that she would at least follow Beatrice soon in the afterlife, all that Ava felt was regret. Beatrice had given up her life to save Ava and she couldn’t even win the battle in honor of her fallen friend. All of these—for nothing.

Mary, Camila, Lilith…the rest of the OCS sisters…the world.

She had failed.

_I wish I were never chosen to be the Halo Bearer._


	2. Chapter 2

“Ava!”

The sound of her name seeps into her consciousness.

“Ava!”

She sighs and rolls onto her other side, burrowing her face deeper into the covers. The smell of lavender infused into her sheets is something she will never ever tire of.

“AVA!”

The voice sounds much louder now, something that barely registers in Ava’s confused state, right before sudden chill sweeps through her previously warm cocoon—whatever it is that was previously covering her is quickly ripped away.

“HEY!” Ava protests, her arms scrambling for purchase after her missing blanket, eyes struggling against the bright sunlight that floods her room.

“We’re running late! I told you we have to be at the airport at 9 and it’s nearly 8!”

“But, mom—”

“Don’t ‘mom’ me. You were out late last night. Again. After I told you repeatedly just how important this event is for your mama.”

“Ma at least understands.” Ava huffs and throws herself back down to lie on the bed, wrapping her arms around a pillow, snuggling into its cool cover, and trying to recall a dream she had been immersed in before she had been rudely awakened.

“Ava. Would you really rather stay here than accompany me?” There’s a hint of something in her mother’s voice that prompts Ava to sneak a peek at her mother.

A gentle hand caresses her forehead, sweeping her messy hair aside as mother and daughter exchange serious looks.

“I know this event is important. But…so were the last three ones.” Ava mumbles, averting her gaze to a spot somewhere by the foot of her bed.

“Well, the company has been thriving really well. With the partnerships and not to mention the acquisitions we’ve gained…”

“I know. I know, I know, I know.” Ava whines, her feet jerking as if barely holding herself back from a childhood tantrum.

“Your ma was hoping you’d be there so she can introduce you to some of the new partners.”

“If I remember correctly, this latest isn’t a partnership so much as an acquisition and this one was a bit brutal. I doubt they’d be pleased to be introduced to the likes of me.” Ava rubs a hand against her eyes.

“The likes of you?” Her mother’s brow arches in question.

Ava shrugs. “Female. Young. I dunno.”

Her mother laughs. “I don’t see why you should back down from such a challenge.”

“I hate confrontations.”

“It’s inevitable really, sweetheart. Especially if you want to get anywhere in this world. Particularly in this industry.”

“I don’t mind the confrontations so much as the reaction it brings out of me. I have yet to master the subtle insults as Ma seems to be so good at.”

“Well, you have a point there. Flipping Mr. Bennett the finger wasn’t exactly subtle.”

“Yeah, well. Neither was his remark on how Ma got to her position nor how she started up the company.” The scowl on Ava’s face draws a chuckle from the older woman who caresses her cheek and pats it gently before moving away towards the door, pausing to look over her shoulder. “I’ll tell your ma you can’t make it—” she cuts off Ava’s sudden grin with her own warm smile and a warning wag of a finger. “—but only this one time. I understand finals were brutal and I know you worked so hard. You get this pass, but the next one…no excuses okay?”

Ava nods excitedly, her mind already whirring through the idea of spending the day in bed and who knows what for the rest for whenever she wakes up.

* * *

After waking up at around 3 in the afternoon and briefly checking her phone to see that her Mom had landed safely and both parents were currently engrossed in their work, Ava traipsed downstairs to the kitchen to try and figure out what to eat.

Perusing the contents of the fridge, Ava takes out some leftover pizza and something that looked like pasta. Her Ma is a brilliant woman, no doubt. But a cook she definitely was not.

Still, her tastebuds and digestive system seemed to be the only one in this household who could keep up with her ma’s cooking, so… Ava shrugs. Questionable noodles it is.

As Ava sits by the kitchen counter, eating and scrolling through her phone, her twitter notifications starts coming in. She had long ago set some alerts for her parents’ names in case of any news or gossip rags she might want to come after, even if just to out-tweet them. That and it helped Ava keep tabs on them while she was stuck at home or in school.

Before Ava could even tap randomly on one of the alerts, her phone display switches an image she had set as her ma’s contact photo. With an exasperated smile, Ava swipes upwards to accept the call.

“Hey, Ma. Just ate that mystery dish you left in the fridge for me. I sure hope those were noodles.”

_“Ava.”_

The rough sound of the voice on the other end of the line immediately causes the smile on Ava’s face to drop.

“Ma? What’s wrong? You sound sick. Are you coming down with something?” Ava straightens up in her seat.

_“Something happened… Ava… Your mom…”_

The broken voice trails off into sobs and Ava couldn’t honestly tell you what else was said. Her hand falls limply back onto her side, phone barely hanging on in her loose grip.

* * *

A car accident.

Her mom had been on her way to the airport, eager to catch a flight to get home so she could spend some time with their daughter. Her wife was meant to be with her except she got waylaid by some last-minute business meeting with investors who wanted their egos and their insecurities stroked.

The car was idling and waiting for their green light when a speeding car behind drove into them, plowing them straight into the middle of an intersection where another rammed into her mother’s vehicle.

Rescuers tried, but Ava lost her mother that day, in the middle of some godforsaken intersection. Alone.

The days that followed felt like some surreal existence where living, breathing, seeing, feeling, and everything else felt like it was being done through a fog.

How do people move on from losing someone they love?

In the dark of night, Ava spends a lot of time wondering when or if the pain would ever stop. She can’t help but think of all the things about her mom she would miss. Whenever Ava goes home, she won’t be there to greet her at the door as she insisted on doing every single time. She won’t be there to regularly call her up to ask how she’s been. She won’t be there to facilitate family videocalls where she periodically reminds her and her ma to eat and get some proper sleep.

God.

Her ma.

She thinks she doesn’t know, but Ava can hear her crying at night.

They’re both trying, but deep down they wonder what life would be like with the woman who used to hold them together now suddenly gone.

Ava had been around five when her mom first met Jill. As she grew older, Ava liked to roll her eyes and pretend to gag whenever her parents would recount how they met at a music record store. Of all places, really. Who even went to record store these days when you could just download anything and everything off of the internet? She didn’t understand or give it much thought as a child. All she knew was that her mom’s friend was really nice, and that she hung around their house a lot.

Then one day, her mom sat her down and explained to her who Jillian is and how they love each other and that they want to build a life together.

Her ma loved to recount the story of how Ava cried, worried that somehow the news meant she was being kicked out of their house. Of course, both women assured young Ava that all it meant was that if it was okay, she now had two mothers to love her and look after her.

And that is how Ava Silva became Ava Salvius.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The differences continue to unfold.

This wasn’t exactly how Ava envisioned spending her recently acquired freedom from school. Not that she had grand plans beyond the occasional night out, days spent on the beach, and maybe that road trip she had been considering.

Then again, losing her mother to an accident wasn’t exactly something she would have envisioned. Not for years and years at least.

Here she is anyhow, trailing after her remaining parent who has been summoned by urgent business to one of their satellite offices.

* * *

“Ma?” Ava calls out as she enters the living room, and heads toward the couch as soon as she spies the figure sprawled across its expanse, noting the absent look in her mother’s eyes. The older woman is on her phone, frowning at something on her screen as she tapped and scrolled away.

“What are you up to?” Ava asks, trying to engage her only remaining parent into a hopefully longer conversation.

It’s been nearly a week since the funeral.

Nearly a week of trying to comfort each other but ultimately crawling back into their respective corners to try and get through the loss in their own ways. For Ava, it was holing herself up in her room and taking out every photo, video, audio recording—everything she could get a hold of—of her mom. She would pore over long-forgotten albums from her childhood. Worn out photographs that documented her growth alongside the woman who gave birth to her, raised her alone those first few years despite all odds, and loved her. If Ava knew of only one true thing, it was how much her mother loved her.

And Ava cried.

For her other mother, Ava’s unsure, but what she did notice was that her parents’ bedroom looked…untouched. The bed is as perfectly made as her mom used to do every morning—a habit she tried to instill in her daughter and wife. Her mom’s side table held a nearly empty glass, a book with a haphazardly placed bookmark stuck between pages, her phone’s recharger cord hanging limply off the side. The chair by the window still held a gray and worn out terrycloth robe Ava knew was her mom’s favorite.

If she didn’t know any better, it was like the room was just waiting for one of its occupants to come back and pick up where they left off.

Jillian’s home office, however, looked very much lived in. Ava didn’t say anything and neither did the older woman when her daughter spied the pillows and blanket on the office couch. Ava tried to dissuade her from pulling all-nighters, even if deep down the younger woman somewhat envied her mother for having something with which to distract herself with.

Jillian offers Ava a wan smile in reply before tossing her phone carelessly onto the coffee table, pinching the bridge of her nose in a sign of frustration.

“What’s wrong?” Ava shoots a quick glance at the device, barely registering what appears to be an email from someone named Kris before the screen goes black.

“Nothing, sweetheart. Just business as usual.” Jillian sighs and pulls herself up to a sitting position. Ava immediately takes the space that opens and leans against the older woman whose arm instinctively wraps around her daughter. Both bask in the moment of comfortable silence—or at least as comfortable as it gets when both are fully aware of the thoughts consuming the other—before Jillian speaks up.

“I’m sorry if I haven’t been around much.”

Ava is somewhat startled by the sudden break in silence, but more so by the words from her mother.

“You’re here.” Ava tries for casual, along with a shrug.

“Yes. But we both know I’ve been…busy. Or keeping busy, rather.”

“I know. And it’s okay. We will be.” Ava proclaims the last three words with a firm squeeze of her mother’s hand.

Jillian brushes a kiss against her daughter’s temple and sighs when her phone emits a sound, notifying both women of a message.

Letting Ava go, Jillian reaches over for her phone and frowns once again as she begins to furiously tap away. Ava leans and perches her chin on her ma’s shoulder and taking the chance to peer at what could possibly have her ma looking upset.

“Who’s Kristian?” Ava asks.

Jillian scoffs, “A consultant who is way too excitable.” She then gently flicks a finger against her daughter’s forehead, “Stop invading my privacy.”

Ava simply grins, which her mother senses rather than sees, before she pulls away and slouches even further into the couch and picks up her own phone to check for anything else that could distract her while her ma deals with business.

When she woke up that morning, Ava had been determined to try and “reconnect” with her ma. Just do something together beyond acting like roommates. Her ma’s earlier apology assuaged Ava that at least she had noticed as much too.

Her ma is all she has left.

Ava can’t lose her in the process too.

“Shit.”

“Language.” Ava automatically responds.

“Like you don’t have a foul mouth when you’re amongst your friends.” Jillian shoots back.

“Who? Me?” Ava meets her mother’s wry expression with a seemingly innocent one.

Jillian’s frown gets even more pronounced once the rest of the reply she received sinks in.

“Ma?”

“I might have to go and visit one of our satellite offices.”

Ava unconsciously stiffens.

“When?”

Jillian puts her phone down and turns to face her daughter.

“I can leave first thing tomorrow and get this over with and at the earliest be back by evening. But…”

Ava notices the nervous and hesitant expression on the other woman’s face.

“But what?”

“Maybe you could come with me? We can make it a trip, a mini vacation. You know, you and me. Get out of the house for awhile…” The rest is unspoken, but Ava understands. To be fair, it’s definitely much better than her dining out idea. Perhaps a complete change of scenery might be something.

“What about work? That look on your face screamed really important shit going down. Or your office caught fire again.”

“First of all, we both know what caused that office fire. Second, there’s a memo still in effect in our offices about you and flammable materials being in the same room. Third,” Jillian looks a bit exasperated, “Kristian is an odd man, but he IS brilliant. At best, his request to meet leads to a groundbreaking finding, I’ll give him the go ahead for his research and we can have our vacation. At worst, it’s nothing—which sadly I am banking on—and we can have our vacation.”

Ava contemplates her mother’s offer and asks, “Just please tell me there’s a beach where we’re going and not middle of nowhere desert like that last project site.”

Jillian’s grin is knowing and smug, “It’s way better.”

* * *

Her mother’s temporary office in this one isn’t too shabby, although Ava thinks it could use more color. If it weren’t for the windows providing adequate natural light, Ava thinks the whole office could only be called “depressing.” Most of the walls were of the color she liked to refer to as “industrial boring gray.” It was a common theme among the number of corporate executives’ offices she’d seen. The shade might differ and minimalistic tendencies might run amuck in them, but the shiny steel, heavy wood accents, and somber look possibly aimed at expressing a level of seriousness were elements Ava’s seen too often.

Ava’s proud to say that at least her ma’s office at HQ held color by way of plush throw pillows, beanbag, a faux fur rug, and a video console.

Were all those elements originally designed with Ava in mind? Yes. Yes, they were.

But at least her ma’s office wasn’t boring.

 _Not like this one_ , Ava thinks as she pokes a finger against a weird ceramic thing on the desk.

There’s a brief knock on the door that captures both women’s attention, the newcomer a man whom Ava presumes is Kristian.

Her mother’s greeting confirms the name as said man graciously accepts her mother’s hand and by his way of acknowledging and returning the gesture, Ava knows that at least he has respect for her mother. Ava’s been through more than enough meetings—especially first-time face to face encounters—to know when someone, particularly a man, couldn’t _deal_ with having a woman for a boss. Especially a woman who is the brains behind the business’ success and not to mention owner and CEO of the whole damn pot.

“Kristian, this is my daughter Ava.” Jillian’s words prompt the man to turn towards Ava and with a warm smile, shakes her hand firmly. _Good. He means it,_ Ava further muses.

A somber look briefly takes over his face and Ava knows what’s coming.

“I’m so sorry to hear about your wife,” he looks at the younger woman and adds, “your mother. Please accept my deepest condolences.”

Ava can only nod to acknowledge his sentiments while Jillian clears her throat and replies, “Thank you.”

“In fact, if I weren’t so sure you might be interested in what I have discovered, I would never have bothered you at all during this difficult time.”

Jillian takes the opportunity to shift topics with relief, “Yes, well. I’m just glad you hadn’t felt the need to resort to using all caps in your messages.”

Kristian chuckles, “I did my best to refrain from doing so.”

He motions towards the door with his arm outstretched, gesturing for them to precede him. “If I may show you to the lab?”

“Please.” Jillian exchanges a brief look with Ava who looks largely uninterested. “After this, we can go get food okay?” She assures the younger woman.

“I’m not five, you know. You can’t bribe me with a Happy Meal anymore.” Ava rolls her eyes but then offers a smile to show she was teasing, which of course Jillian understands. They’ve been through this several times in the past.

“Fine. Would it make you happy to know that the place I booked for us has a pool in its backyard?”

Ava looks suspiciously at her mother as they trail down a long corridor, Kristian taking the lead up front.

“Go on…”

“Not to mention it also has the beach in said backyard.”

Ava’s eyes widen and there’s excitement in them. It’s an expression Jillian considers a win. She can at least do this much for her daughter.

“You had me at pool, not gonna lie. But beach!” Ava is almost hopping in a sudden burst of restless energy, only put on hold when Kristian stops in front of a door, secures his code, and gestures once again for them to enter first.

Again, thanks to her mother’s work and habit of juggling her career with entertaining a child when schedule permitted, Ava’s seen a few labs on her own. Even if she’s mostly been forbidden from entering them thanks to her curious nature of “what does this do” and inability to _refrain_ from touching things she shouldn’t.

This one is no different.

Except for the weird metal thing that resembled those armor from middle ages or something, Ava notes.

Which is exactly what Kristian leads them to.

“What exactly am I looking at?” Jillian asks.

“First, I hope you keep an open mind before I proceed.” The excitement radiating off of the man is clearly a rival to Ava’s.

“I’m a scientist, Kristian. We’re supposed to have an open mind.”

 _Huh. Wonder if now’s a good time to tell her I’m gay_ , Ava muses internally.

“Okay. Well, seeing as your daughter is here, I assume she is privy or at least is welcome to whatever we are tackling today?”

Jillian nods, “She is. Assuming my daughter’s mind is still with us, of course.”

“Huh? What?”

Jillian chuckles and shakes her head. “You may proceed.”

Kristian spares the younger woman nary a glance as he claps his hand once, “Okay. So, artifacts. This piece of metal hails from the time of the third Crusades and FYI, the Catholic Church has been looking for it for quite some time.”

“How much time?” Ava queries, informing the others that she has been listening after all.

“Since it was lost.”

Ava replies, “That’s a long—actually I won’t pretend to know when the first Crusades happened, least of all the third so I’ll take your word for it that it’s been a long ass time.”

Her mother tries not to smile lest Kristian get distracted.

“Well it _has_ been a ‘long ass time’, as you say, its worth is nearly immeasurable.”

Ava raises her hand and asks, “Okay, not to undermine your findings, kind sir, but can we fast forward to how is this relevant to the company?”

“Ava,” her mother’s tone is chastising, yet when Jillian redirects her gaze toward the man, “I’m sorry. It has been quite the flight and we came here directly under my impression we could discuss things quickly before settling in and determining the course of the rest of our time here.”

To his credit, Kristian did not appear the slightest bit perturbed and continued.

“The relevance of this artifact is that it is made up of an element that the Church seems to be the sole bearer of its existence.”

At this, Jillian straightens, her attention obviously and _finally_ piqued.

“Really? Does it have a name?”

“The Church refers to it as ‘divinium’.”

“Interesting.” Jillian is now focused on the artifact, her eyes carrying a familiar glint Ava is more than familiar with.

 _There goes my time on the beach_.

“We’re still running tests, of course, to determine its properties and consequently its capabilities, but the initial results seem promising. And since I was initially invited to join your company as a _researcher_ , I have dispatched my own inquiries into what the Church knows of this so-called divinium.”

Ava notes the weird emphasis Kristian has placed on the word but discards the observation as she tracks her mother’s approach toward the table upon which the artifact is propped up. Jillian’s eyes are seemingly probing and cataloguing its surface as though further answers would be revealed through mere visual observation.

“If you wish, I have the initial results waiting for your review,” Kristian states.

At this, Jillian suddenly stiffens and turns toward the younger woman.

Ava sighs, “You have to stay.”

Her mother looks on with guilt and a ready apology on her tongue, but Ava beats her to it, “It’s fine. Work is work.”

“I know, but—”

“Ma, it’s fine. I promise.” Ava tries to console the other woman with a smile. “If you don’t mind, I’ll go ahead and get us settled in. Just call me when you’re done. Actually,” Ava dares to wag a finger at her mother, “You need to eat, and chances are great you’ll forget once you dive into whatever this is. So, I’ll call you after I get us settled in and we can get food together.”

Jillian’s shoulders slump in visible relief and draws Ava into a quick hug with a kiss on her forehead.

“I hope you like the place, sweetheart.”

“Yeah sure.” Ava’s sheepish at the endearment in front of a virtual stranger, but allows it.

“Okay,” Jillian takes out her phone and taps quickly through a few motions, “I’ve sent you the details and the driver’s contact number. He should be waiting right outside.”

“Alright. Kristian, pleasure to meet you.” Ava acknowledges the man once more, which the man returns with a slight bow of his head and a genial smile.

“A pleasure as well young Miss.”

“Later, Ma.” Ava turns and walks away with a quick wave, somewhat eager to see what she came here for but at the same time wary about leaving her mother alone. She briefly stops to look over her shoulder and is somewhat relieved to see her mother already deep in a discussion with Kristian.

She forces herself to keep walking.

* * *

Ava’s in the lobby, eyes on her phone when her hearing catches wind of a raised voice. She lifts her head up and scans the area and spots two figures over at reception, dressed in garbs only familiar to Ava by way of media.

_Nuns? What the fuck._

“I’m sorry, ma’am—Sister, my apologies—but one cannot meet with Dr. Salvius without an appointment. The fact that she is rarely able to visit this office and is most preoccupied at the moment would render your chance of even booking one a futile attempt at best.”

“Look, we just need a few minutes of her time.” The woman whose voice had caught Ava’s attention is suddenly tempered by the other woman whose voice was a contrast by its calm tone. “Forgive us for insisting. It simply has something to do with what was taken from us and we only wish to recover it.”

The guard at the reception stiffens at the implication, “Sister, surely you are not suggesting—”

“We are not. But please, we sincerely believe Dr. Salvius might be better off speaking with us about this matter in person rather than finding out the truth through other means.”

Unable to help herself, especially if this had the potential of posing trouble for her mother who already had more than enough on her plate, Ava nearly surprises herself to realize she is already walking towards the women.

“Why do you need an audience with Dr. Salvius?” Ava asks as soon as she gets within three feet of them.

All concerned heads turn towards Ava as she tries not to flinch under the intense scrutiny she suddenly finds herself the subject of.

“I’m sorry, Ms. Salvius but they were—” Ava raises a hand and throws the guard at the desk a smile to let them know no one was at fault here.

The two nuns exchange glances that obviously spoke volumes for both as they undoubtedly catch the name Ava was addressed as.

“You related to Dr. Salvius?” The tone of impatience is belied by a hand on the speaker’s forearm, followed by another from her counterpart. “We would like to request an audience with Dr. Salvius in relation to an item that belongs to the Vatican. An item that was taken by force.”

“So you _are_ accusing my mother.” Ava’s voice turns hard, much like her eyes and the set of her shoulders.

“Not your mother, no. But resources used to obtain this item implies resources from your mother’s company.”

There’s a tension-filled moment that reigns for a few seconds as Ava debates the merit of disturbing her mother’s geek session—one of the few remaining things that undoubtedly makes her happy and keeps her distracted enough from their loss.

However, if these nuns were telling the truth, the potential fallout could never be good. And that was from a public relations standpoint to begin with.

“Fine.”

“Ms. Salvius—“ the guard tries to interject but Ava placates them with a grin. “It’s fine. I’ll take the fall if my mother decides they’re nut jobs. Although they _are_ nuns. It’s not like they can whack their through all this security, right?”

The guard gives the two women before him another once over and despite his gut screaming otherwise, replies with “Yes, ma’am.” Perhaps he simply imagined the smirk on their faces.

“Come on then.” Ava motions with a wave of her hand for the two women to follow as she quickly shoots the driver a message that she’ll be delayed after all. Both nuns give the guard their brief thanks before following the shorter woman who has proven to be the help they needed just in time.

“So, maybe you could at least tell me your names since I’m interceding on your behalf and all that?” Ava asks as they head towards one of the elevators. “I’m Ava by the way.”

The slightly taller one sends Ava a genuine smile that she notes also translates to her eyes. “Despite the unusual grounds for our getting to know each other, it is a pleasure to meet you, Ava.” She then motions toward the nun beside her, “This is Sister Mary.” Said woman grunts and juts out her chin briefly in a weird nod that Ava would presume to be unusual for a nun.

“And I’m Sister Shannon.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know. No avatrice just yet in this one. But let's see what happens next chapter, yes?


End file.
